Assimilating Disruptive Technology: A New Approach of Learning Science in Engineering Education

Abstract Technology, if embedded in education efficiently, can do miracles. It can motivate the learners to participate actively at learning platforms and make the learning process more effective. Earlier research has recognized the problem that learning would merely be a passive process if the use of technology does not encourage critical thinking, conception or meta cognition. Since its inception augmented reality(AR) has exhibited a great potential in improving the learning to have active engagement, increased interaction and critical intervention by the students. This is so because this advanced technology provides the learner a natural experience while interacting the real and the virtual environments seamlessly. Merging AR in education, therefore, has caught the researchers’ attention as it provides the learners an immersive and realistic experience. This research work investigates the effect of Augmented Reality(AR) in electronics, electrical and science education on university level students. This paper aims to elaborate the understanding of ohm’s law using AR technology. A marker based AR application namely AROhm has been developed which can make the students learn in a Hands-on augmented way to provide them a noval and concrete learning experience. 20 participants(students) were chosen from first year engineering and the subject chosen is BEEE(Basics of electrical & electronics Engineering). Two groups namely treatment and control group were made and data collection has been done to obtain qualitative as well as quantitative results of the application. AROhm has been proved cost effective and simply requires a laptop or an ordinary desktop. T- test is used for measuring the effects of AR technology over traditional learning. Written feedback has been taken from both the participant groups. Pros and Cons of the application as evolved from the students as well as teachers were discussed.